''Modoc'' was a steam tug, built in 1890 as the commercial tug ''Enterprise'', in service with the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

from 1898 to 1947. The tug had been assigned the hull number YT‑16 in 1920. When the name ''Modoc'' was cancelled 5 October 1942 the tug became the unnamed ''YT‑16'' until reclassified in 1944 to become ''YTL-16''. The tug served for 49 years and in both

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

and

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

before being transferred to the Maritime Commission in early 1947 for disposal.

Ship history

The non‑seagoing, iron steam yard tug ''Enterprise'', built in 1890, had served in a civilian role until she was acquired by the U.S. Navy and placed in service as ''Modoc'' 29 April 1898 for

Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (cl ...

service at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. On 17 July 1920, she was designated District Harbor Tug and given the hull number YT-16. The name ''Modoc'' was cancelled on 5 October 1942 during the Second World War becoming the unnamed ''YT‑16''. In 1944 she was redesignated as the unnamed District Harbor Tug, small ''YTL-16''. Three years later, on 30 January 1947, ''YTL-16'' was placed out of service after 49 years, including two World Wars, and transferred to the Maritime Commission for final disposal.

USS ''L-1'' incident

In 1921, the U.S. Navy Submarine USS ''L-1'' was rammed by a pilot boat off the

Delaware Capes Delaware Bay is the estuary outlet of the Delaware River on the northeast seaboard of the United States. It is approximately in area, the bay's freshwater mixes for many miles with the saltwater of the Atlantic Ocean. The bay is bordered inla ...

. Along with the Salvage Tug

USS Kalmia (AT-23) USS ''Kalmia'' may refer to the following ships of the United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is t ...

, the two tugs drained the water out of the stricken submarine, and towed her 85 miles back to shore. An excerpt of the incident from the 8 February 1921 issue of the ''Evening Public Ledger'' is as follows: "The United States submarine ''L-1'' (SS-40), rammed last week by a pilot-boat off the Delaware capes, came into the Philadelphia Navy Yard yesterday, supported by the salvage tug ''USS Kalmia (AT-23)'' (left) and the navy yard tug ''Modoc (YT-16)''. At the right can be seen a ten-inch pump line from the which kept the water out of the engine hatch-room of the submersible during the trip from Lowes, Del. A smaller pump line worked from the ''Modoc''."

Ship awards

* World War I Victory Medal *

World War II Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal is a service medal of the United States military which was established by an Act of Congress on 6 July 1945 (Public Law 135, 79th Congress) and promulgated by Section V, War Department Bulletin 12, 1945. The Wo ...

American Campaign Medal The American Campaign Medal is a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was first created on November 6, 1942, by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was intended to recognize those military members who had perf ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Modoc (YT-16) 1890 ships Tugs of the United States Navy